Means for controlling the escape of fluids from tanks.



A. G. HURDMAN. MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE ESCAPE 0P FLUIDS PROM TANKS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.18, 1911.

Patented AugLlZ, 1913.-

2 SHEETSfSHEF-T 1.

1 A. G. HURDMAN. v I MEANS 'FOR CONTROLLING THE ESCAPE 0F FLUIDS FROM TANKS.

APPLICATION IEILED SEPT. 16, 1911.

1,070,1 36, "Patented Aug. 12, 1913.

.2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

, mum oF IoE. I

- ALLAN 'G.I HURDMAN,I or DENVER, coLoRADo.

--MEANS ron-couriiomrne THE ESCAPE or FLUIDSFROLI TANKS. v

T 111] wlwm-itmag concern *Be it known that I,-ALLAN'G. HtIRDBL-SN,

asubject of Great Britain, residing .in the vcity andeountyo'f Denverand State offColo- 'ir-ado,-. have invented certain new and-useful- III-IIPI-OVGIIIBIUZS in Means for Controlling the Escape of Fhi-ids-from-Tanks; and I do deolare-the-iollowing-to bea 'full, clear, and. exact descriptionofthe-invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains. to make and use the sa me,-referencejbeing had-to theiac companying draw-=.

ing s, and to 1 the characters of reference marked thereon, which form part of this specification. I

-My'invention i'elatesto. improvements niean's for weontrolling. the escape of fluid Ffrom tanks.

The particular object which I have in view is to'provide a deviceof this character for controlling the escape of igasolene or other volatile liquid from a tank-1nounted upon an automobile and employedjin-com.

nection with --the carbu'reter of an explosive engine.

My improvedconstruction is ofsuchchav acter that the valve to .be-opened, in order that the liquid may escape, must be operated by the use of a key in connection with a lock of speciahconstruction, said loekbeing located within the tank, butgoperable from the outside thereof, the lock being of the tumbler variety and of suflieient complexity to make it practicallyimpossible to operate it without thefleinployment of the proper key.

The cylinder or barrel-of the lock is are ranged to be rotated by the proper key, and this cylinder or. barrel is connected With the valve by means of a rod'composed .of two telescoping members, whose opposite extremities are equipped with universal joints, one of said joints being'connected with the cylinder of the lock and the other with the valve, the'said valve being provided with a coarse screw, threaded so that the turning. of the" cylinclerby the use of the key will impart the necessary rotary movement to the valve to open or close the same, according to the direction-of the rotation of thelock cyl-' inder.

The entire valve andlock mechanisms are concealed within the tank, the-cylinder, only Specification of Letters Patent. l atented Aug; 12 1913 .Jipplication filed September 18, 19,11.

, Serial no. 649,880.

. of the lock having its outer extremity exposed for the insertion of lhe key; This, ,niakes 1t practically. impossible for an unauthorized person to start the engine of an automobile, for lnstance, since he is-unable ,tounanipulate the lock, and, consequently,

unable toopenthe valye, which allows the gasolene-or other volat le liquid to pass to the carbureter inorder to form anexplosive mixture for the engine carried by the niachin e. v I V .A' further object of the invention vis to provide an exceedingly simpleand economical construction adapted, to 'efliciently perform the aforesaid function,- and to these ends the invention consistslot thefeatures hereinafter described, all ofdwhich will .be -fully understood by reference-to the acconrpanyingdrawing-in which is illustrated an embodiment thereof. I

In this drawing: Figure l is avertical section, taken through atank equipped with my improvement, thelock and valve mechanism .belngshown inelevatlon. Fig. 2is a frag inentary vertical section-of the tank, cutting the lock mechanism and illustrating the connection .between the cylinder of the lock and the upper extremity of the telescopingrod. I Fig. 3 is =1 similar viewof the tank,

putting the valve mechanism and-illustrating the connection of the valve piece with. the lower extremity of the telescoping rod; Fig; 4 is a similar view, cutting the valve casing, but showing the'v valve in elevation. Fig. 5 is a horizontal section, taken through the .lock on the line of Fig. 2.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all theviews.

Let thenumeral 5 designate a tank containing a quantity of volatile liquid 6.. This:

liquid may be gasolene, or any other suit-.

able fluid, adapted for .use in forming an explosive mixture for-internal combustion engines. lVlounted' in the bottom of this tank is a valve casing 7, the bottom of the casing being reinforced, as shown at 9, and equipped withv legs 8, which areiormed integral with a fixture 10, having a flange 12 engaging the bottom of the tank, preferably on the outside, the said fixture in this eventbeing exteriorly located and provided with a perforation 13, whose upper extremity is adapted ,to form a seat for a valve piece 14,

- to prevent the valve member 15 protrudeslabovethe valve spring.

composed of an exterior member 15 and a member 16 adapted to protrude below 'the exterior member, the protruding part being fashioned, as shown at 17,, to fit the upper extremity of the opening 13,when the valve is in the closed posit1on.

The member'16 of the valve is movable in.

the exterior member 14 and acted on by a spiral spring 18 located Within arccess 19 above the member. 16 of the-valve, whereby the latter is norinallyheld at its outward limit of movement by the action 'of the The valve member 16 has a shoulder 20, while the lower extremity of the exteri'or member 15 of'the valve is turned in wardly, as shown at 21, below the shoulder member'16 from escaping from the valve member 15.

The valve member 151s provided exteri orlywith a coarse screw thread 22, adapted to fit a' counterpart thread 23 formed in the valve casing.

This thread is of such that a single rotation of the valve will 1mpart a suflicient longitudinal movement'to unseat the valve and allow the liquid to pass freely through the perforation 13 of the exteriorly-located fixture 10. Theexterior casing 7, and is flattened, as shown at 24,

and perforated, as shown at 25, to receive a pin 26, which passes through a registering perforation formedin a part2? pivotally bers 28 and 29,

. sal joint or coupling.

connected, as shown at 27 with the lower extremity of the rod member 28, which is polygonal, preferably square in cross section, and adapted to telescope in a hollow rod'member 29 of counterpart shape, thus making the rod, composed of the'two memlengthwise" extensible, whereby the said rod is capable of adjustment tojharmonize with. tanks of various depth. i

The twopivot pins 25. and 27%; extend at right angles to each other to form a univer- The upper extremity of .the'telescoping rod member 29 has also a universal joint connection with the lower extremity 3O ofthe lock cylinder 31, the said cylinder being rotatable in a casing 32 located within the tank and formed integral with a late 33, which covers an opening 34 formed in the top of the tank and projects beyond the said opening, as shown at 35, there being a shoulder 36, which protrudes centrally into the tank,- whereby the plate may be securely.

fitted, after which it may be. brazed or otherwise made fast to thetop of'the tank in such a manner that it cannot be removed, except by practically destroying the tank. The valve mechanism may be of any suitable ordinary tumbler construction, as, for in,- stance, of the Yale variety of lock.

shown 1n the drawing; the lock cylinder is equipped with tumbler members37, which ing cooperate withtumbler members 38 located in the valve casing adjacent theopening in which the valve cylinder is located. The tumbler members 38 are acted onbyspiral springs 39. The inner extremities of the tumbler members 37 are pointed, as shown at 40, or otherwise suitably fashioned to fit the recesses of a key 41. When the proper key is inserted, the tumblermembers 37 will have their outer extremitiesin exact alinement with the outer surface of the lock cylmembers. 37 and 38 will join each other exactly in alinement with the surface of the. cylinder and the outer end of the opening in .the valve casing, so that, when the proper .key is in place,

the cylinder may be turned. However, if a key is inserted, which is not shaped to correspond with the tumbler mechanism, one or moreof the tumblers 37 or 38 will protrude beyond its normal posi- -inder, in which event each pair of tumbler tion that is, one or more of the tumblers 87 will protrude into a recess in the valve cas ing, or one ormore of the tumblers 38 will I protrude into a recess in the lock cylinder, thus making itimpossible to rotate the cylof look, further detailed explanation is not considered necessary. 1 The lower extremity 30 of the lockcylinder is reduced in diameter and enters a socket 42 formed in a sleeve 43, which 1s connected with the lower extremity of the lock' cylinder by a pin 44. This sleeve 42; constitutes one of a universal coupling 45, and, for this purpose, it terminatesin a" flat 'tened part 46 connected by means ofa pin 48: connected by means of a pin49 with the upper bifurcated extremity 47 with a member 50 of the telescoping rod member 29. It will be understood that the pivot plns 47 and 49 extend at right angles to each other.

inderl As this is an ordinary construction V In order to form a liquid-tight joint bebelow the lower, depend- 55 to receive one of a series of lugs .56,

formed on the upper extremity of the sleeve 51, so that, whenthe said sleeve is screwed into position, be made to register with the recess 55. The

one of the lugs 56 may always said registering lug is then-bent sufliciently to cause it to enter the recess 55, whereby the coupling sleeve is positively locked against rotation.-

, The upper extremity of thevalve casing u 10 and valve mechanism.

reverse to receive a pin 59, formed on the upper; extremity of the valve member 15.

recess 58 allows the valve member 15 to make a complete rotation, and -by the time this is accomplished the pin 58 will be raised sufliciently to bring the upper extremity of the projection 57 within the path of the said pin and thus prevent the valve from fart-her rotary action. The object of this construction is to make it impossible to turn the valve farther than is necessary orsuiticient to disengage it from the valve casing.

The exteriorly-located fixture 10, below the perforation 13, isbored, as shown at 61, to form an escape opening for the liquid of the tank to a pipe 62 connected with the fixture 10 by a coupling nut 63. The bore 61 extends inwardly beyond the lower extremity of the opening 13, as'shown at 64, whereby, if an attempt is made to unseat the valve by inserting a wire or other device into the bore 61, the said device will pass beyond the lower extremity of the perforation 13, thus making it practicallyimpossible to cause any instrument to pass upwardly through the perforation 13 and unseat the valve.

From the foreging description, the man ner of assembling the mechanism, as well as the use of my improved. construction, will be readily understood. v As heretofore described, the valve casing 7 and the fixture 10 with its flange 12 are formed inte ral or cast in a single piece. This integral device, with the valve in place and the lower rod member 28 connected therewith, may be inserted through an opening formed in the bottom of the tank; the flange 12 protruding sufliciently beyond this opening to thoroughly conceal the same and give the necessary support to the fixture The construction is then secured to the bottom of the tank, as by brazing or other suitable means, the use of screws, however, or other suitable removablefastening devices being avoided. The lock mechanism is then inserted through the opening 34 formed in the top of the tank, together with a telescoping rod member 29, the two rod members 28 and 29 being caused to telescope in operative relation. The flange 85 of the lock casing is secured to the top of the tank in the same manner as the flange 12 of the fixture 10 is secured to the bottom of the tank.

In order to open the valve, it is only necessary to insert the proper key,see Figs. 1 and 2,'whereby the tumblers 37 and 38 are adjusted to allow the cylinder 31 to turn.

A single rotation of this cylinder will impart a corresponding rotary movement to the valve 14, and this action 'of'the latter will unseat the member 16 of thevalve and allow the volatile liquid in the talik to escape to the carbureter, not shown. The

As soon as the valve is unedited in the manner heretofore explained, .pin 59 will engage the upper eXtremity GO of the projection 57. and preventthe further mo ve ment of the valve andlock cylinder.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In means for controlling the discharge of fluid from tanks, the combination with a tank, of a valve mechanism concealed therein and comprising a casing, a valve screwthreaded in the casing, a lock projecting into the tank and equipped with a rotary cvlin der, and a connection within the tank between the said cylinder and the said Valve, comprising a rod whose extremities are connected by universal joints with both the valve and lock cylinder, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a tank, of valve mechanism located therein and comprising a casing, a'valve screwethreaded in the casing, a tumbler lock extending into the tank and including. a cylinder rotatably mounted, and a lengthwise adjustable connection between the cylinder and valve within the tank, the opposite extremities of said connection being equipped with universal oints, for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination with a tank, of valve mechanism located therein and including a valve screw-threaded in a suitable casing,

a lock extending into the tank including a rotary cylinder, a rod composed of two telescoping members, the said members being respectively connected within the' tank by means of universal joints, with thecylinder ofth'e lock and the valve, for the purpose set forth.

4. The combinationwith a tank, of a valve located therein and including a valve piece lengthwise adjustable within a stationary casing, a lock extending into the tank and including a rotary cylinder, a stuffing box member surrounding the inner 'extren'iity of the rotary cylinder within the tank, means for positively locking the said stufling box member against rotation, and an operative connection between the rotary cylinder and the valve to unseatthe latter by the rotation of the cylinder.

5. The combination of valve adapted to control the flow through the escape orifice of a liquid fuel tank, a longitudinally eX- tensible rod or stem with one end of which the valve is connected, a supporting plate or casing adapted to be secured to the tank in which the other end of the stem is mounted, and means connected with the last mentioned end of the stem for operating and locking the valve, one extremity of the rod or stem being provided with a universal joint.

6. The combination of a valve adapted to control the flow through the escape orifice of a liquid fuel tank, a longitudinally extensible rod or stem With one end of which the valve is connected, and means connected With the other end of the rod for oper- 10 ating and looking the valve, the said rod or stem being equipped with a pair of universal joints one being located near the valve, and the other near the connection at the opposite end of the stem.

In testimony whereof I ai'lix iny signa- 15 ture in presence of two Witnesses.

ALLAN Gr. HURDMAN.

Witnesses F. E. BOWEN, A. EBERT OBRIEN. 

